Code signal apparatus



R. F. FISHER April 26, 1932.

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S IGNAL APPARATUS Filed Jan. 13, 1930 Sheets-Sheet Ffci 6 April 26, 1932.' R. F. FISHER 1,855,910

CODE SIGNAL APPARATUS Filed Jan. 13, 195o' 2 sheets-sheet 2 mLLf/U ,arrow/V575 M4 M Patented Apr. Z6, 1932 PATENT ori-lcs i ROBERT E. FISHER, E CLEVELAND, omo

i CODE SIGNAL AEPARATUS Application led `January 13,` 1930. y Serial No. 420,401.

This invention relates to signal apparatus and more particularly to code signal apparatus adapted to assist in. learning and in practicing telegraph codes. y

'5l Various devices have heretofore been proposed and used to assist in learning and practicing the sending and reception of telegraph and wireless signals. Among these may be noted buzzer coils which may be connected to a standard telegraph key to produce the regularbuzzer signals ina set of earephones, spark or induction coils so connected up as to produce the same results, and various battery operated devices for causing audible signals in a set of head phones in accordance with the actuation of telegraph keys. All of theV above types of apparatus, however, are necessarily rather complicated and it is among the objects of my invention to provide a simple apparatus for producing code signalswhich may be connected directly to a standard 110 volt A. C. power line.

Other objects of my invention are the provision of a code signal apparatus consisting of only two elements, viz. my improved key and a telephone receiver, and the provision of a self-contained key and resistance unit adapted to be connected directly to a 110 volt A. C. line and to a head-phone whereby danger of shock to the operator andburning out of the head-phones is eliminated. l

The above and other objects of myl invention will appear from the following description of a preferred form thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my telegraph key with voltage regulator mounted on the same base.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a section Fig. 1.V Fig.` 4 is a sectional end: view of my key and voltage regulator taken on line'4-4: of Fi 1; v

Fig. 5 is a detached side view of one ofthe resistance or condenser units adapted for use with my voltage controller.

taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 6 is an end view of the resistance or condenser unit shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram of a code practice set with my improved telegraph key and I resistance unit connected to a telephone receiver and to a 110 volt alternating current supply line.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing a resistance on one side of the A. (lline and a condenser on the other side.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Figs. 7 and 8, but showing a resista-nce on one side only of the A. C. supply line.

1n the preferred form of my apparatus illustrated in the drawings, the telegraph key and voltage control unit are both mounted on the baseboard 10. The key lever 11 is flexibly secured t'o the voltage regulator case 25 by means of a ilat spring 12. This spring 12 is firmly held in position on the top of the case '7C' 25by means of the bolts 27. A coil spring 13 rests on the base 10 below the lever 11 and is normally in compression to tend to push the lever upwardly. A thumb screw` 14 and locking nut 15 are provided to permit '75 adjustment of the tension spring 13 which tends to lift the leverr11. The Contact member 16 is preferably` riveted to the lever 11 and the co-acting contact point `1"( is secured directly below the contact point 16. The handle knob 19 is secured to the end of screw 2O which, as shown in Figure 3, has threaded engagement with the hole inthe end of lever 11. The lock nut 21 is adapted to engage the underside oi the lever 11 and lock 85 the lever in any desired position on` the screw 20. The screw 20 extends downwardly and passes through an aperture in the base 10, and is permanently fixed to the combined guide and stop member 22. This guide 22 is adapted to slide in the aperture in the base 10 and has a shoulder portion engaging. the underside of the base 10 to limit the upward movement of the lever 11.

Itwill be clear that by the above construction when the locknut 21 is loosened and the knob 19 turned, the screw 20 will also turn and be moved relative to the lever 11 dueto the vthreaded engagement therewith. Thus lai by turning the knob 19 in the proper direction the lever 11 will be raised or lowered and the distance between the contact points 16 and 17 can be accurately adjusted.

The voltage regulator case 25 contain-s a resistance unit 24 and a condenser unit 23. The condenser unit 273 and resistance unit 24 are preferably made to be interchangeable in the regulator case 25 and are heldin place by grooves in the case, which grooves also contain spring contacts 29V and 3l,4 which make, the electrical connection from the 110 volt line terminals to the. resistance uni-t on one end and from the opposite end of the resistance unit to the telegraph key terminal. Screws 30 hold the spring clip 29r in place in the housing 25y and. also, serve as binding screws to which the ends of the line current conducting cable mayl be connected.

As seen in Figure 2 the spring contact member 31 is of a different shape than the contact member 29. Its purpose, however, is thesame, and it serves to connect one end of the condenser unit 23 to the flat spring 12 and through the lever 11 to the Contact 16.

The phone cord binding. posts are of standard form andare shown in the drawingsk as being made up of the attaching screws 32 and 33, post member 35 and thumb screws 36. The upper binding postV (Fig. 1) is of slightly different construction than the lower binding-vv post in that the attaching screw 38 eX- tends downwardly through the base 10 and is heldin position bv-the nuts 34, while the attaching screw/320i` the lower binding post abuts. against the under side of the regulatorcase 2 5 and is adapted to make electrical contact withv andhold in position the contact spring 29.

The baseboard 10 may be heldup out of contact with the surface on which it is. supported'. by means of the rubber buttons 37. A strip of metal, preferably copper, or other good electrical conductor, extends between the stud 33' of the phone binding posts and the lower contact point 17'. This strip 39 is held in position, against the bottom of' the base 10. and' in good' electrical contact with the binding post andthe contact point 17 by means of nuts-18 and 34, respectively.

Inv Figs. 7, 8- and 9 I have shown several ways of connecting my key and voltage regulator unit to an alternatingy current line andI a pair of head phones.

In the hook-up illustrated in. Fig. 7 the resistance units 24 control the current which passes through the key contacts and the-telephone receivers. The higherthe resista-nce of. the unit, the less current passes through thegtelegraphpkey contacts, As shown in the drawings and, described above, these resistance units` 24 are removable and, can be l changedto other units Ofhigher or lower resistance so as to regulate the strength of sig nals in the telephone receivers.

In the. alternative hook-up illustrated in F ig. 8 a resistance 24 is connected in one side of the A. C. line and a condenser 23 on the other side. This condenser has the same outside shape as the resistance unit to lit in the same roove inthe regulator case 2 5.4

In I4 ig. 9 a single resista-nce unit 24 is used on one side of the A. C. line. This hookup,- williV give satisfactory operation, but is not as desirable as the others illustrated as there is a certain amount of danger of shock to the operator on account of the unprotected side of the line leading to the telephone receivers.

While I havedescribed the illustrated embodiment of my inventionl in some particularity, modifications and. variations thereof may occur to those skilled inthe art to.which it pertains. For eXa1nple condensers similar to/condenser 23v mightbe insertedl on both sides ofthe A. C. supply line andy it would be perfectly practicable to connect a num.- ber of sets of telephone receivers and` keys in .series sothat a class or group. could be in,- structed' in code transmission and reception. In this latter case the keys not inuse would necessarily be lockedy in the closed position to permit the apparatus tooperate. I donot, therefore. limit myself to. the precise details shown and described. but claim as my invention` all, embodiments there coming within the .scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a code signal practice device. a base member. a socket adapted to receive a current restricting. device carried'. by: said' base` a. pair of relatively movable contacts carried by said. base, means connecting one side of .sa-id socket to one of. said contacts, and means connectedtothe other of .said contacts adapted tobe connected to a receiver.A

2. In a code signal practice device, aI base member. a socket adapted toreceive acurrent restricting device carried; by said base` a lever movably. mounted. on said basecooperating Contact points on said. base and. said lever, means tending to separate said. contacts. a handle on. said. lever, and meanslimiting. the separation of said contacts associated.; with said handle-in such. a, manner thatV adjustment thereof: may be effected by movement of said. handle.

3., In a, 00d@ Signal. practice device, a, base member, a socket adapted toreceivea current restricting device carried. by. said base. a lever movably mounted on said base, co-operating contact points on said, base and. saidl lever, a spring urgingsaid lever away romsaid base, a handle having a stem threaded through said. lever,.a lock nut o-n said stem. to secure the same in adjusted position, a. sleeve carried by the end ofsaid stemsa.id base hav.-

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ROBERT F. FISHER. 

